HOUSING ASSISTANCE COUNCIL

NEWS

April 4, 2012

Vol. 41, No. 7

FIRST HAC NEWS PUBLISHED 40 YEARS AGO . Since the first issue on April 10, 1972, the Housing Assistance Council has produced over 850 editions of the HAC News, the publication of note for those who wish to stay informed on r ural housing matters.

Please enjoy the “throwback” appearance of this issue as a cel ebration of the last 40

years. Thank you for all your efforts in building rural communities.

HOUSE APPROVES VETERANS HOUSING BILL . The Homes for Heroes Act, H.R. 3298, woul d create a Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs in HUD to coordinate services to homeless veterans and would require an annual report to Congress. The bill passed the House on March 27 by a 414 -5 vote and w as sent to the Senate. The bill’ s text and statu s updates

are at http://thomas.loc.gov.

VA OFFERS HOMELESS PROVIDERS PER DIEM FUNDS . These Per Diem Only funds are available to nonprofits, state and local governments, and tribes providing transitional housing and services, and cannot be used for buildings. Priorities include rural sites, tribal sites, and a new “Transition in Place” housing model in which support services – rather than the resident – transition out of the residence over time, and then the resident occupies the unit as permanent housing without supportive services. Apply by May 30.

See

Federal

Register,

3/1/12

or

http://www.va.gov/homeless/gpd.asp

or

http://www.grants.gov. Contact Chelsea Watson, VA, 877-332-0334 (toll free).

HUD PROPOSES CHANGES FOR VOUCHER PORTABILITY. Comments are due May 29 on changes intended to clarify requirements and processing of portability requests. See Federal Register, 3/28/12, or www.regulations.gov. Contact Laure Rawson, HUD, 202-708-0477.

STREAMLINING SUGGESTED FOR MIXED-FINANCE SECTION 202 AND 811 DEVELOPMENTS . Comment by May 29 on remov ing restrictions on the portions of projects not funded through capital advances. Additional changes are expected later in 2012. See Federal Register, 3/28/12

or http://www.regulations.gov. Contact Aretha Williams, HUD, 202-708-3000.

HUD CLARIFIES RENTAL A SSISTANCE DEMO, EXTENDS COMMENT DEADLINE. Comments are now due April 23 on the notice published March 8 (see HAC News, 3/7/12). See Federal Register,

4/4/12 and 3/8/12 or http://www.regulations.gov. Contact HUD, rad@hud.gov.

REVISIONS FOR HOMELESS PROVIDERS GRANT AND PER DIEM PROGRAM POSSIBLE. VA proposes to update the program’s current regulations and to implement and authorize new policies.

Comments are due April 30. See Federal Register, 3/1/12, or http://www.regulations.gov.

Contact Guy Liedke, VA, 877-332-0334 (toll-free).

RURAL HOUSING LEADER ROSE GARCIA RECOGNIZED AT WHITE HOUSE CEREMONY. Among ten Champions of Change honored on March 27 for exemplifying farmworker advocate César Chávez’s values was Ms. Garcia, executive director of Tierra del Sol Housing Corporation in New Mexico, who “has worked for over 30 years to improve the quality of life for the rural poor, minorit ies, farmworkers and the elderly individuals . . .

along the United States–Mexico border.” Visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions.

ANNUAL ADVOCATE’S GUIDE PUBLISHED BY NLIHC. The 2012 Advocates’ Guid e to Housing and Community Development Policy offers articles on federal programs and issues, and is free at http://www.nlihc.org or can be ordered for a fee from Shannon Faulk, National Low Income Housing Coalition, shannon@nlihc.org, 202-662-1530 x224.

REGISTER NOW FOR HOUSING SENIORS IN RURAL AMERICA: RESOURCES, ADVOCACY, AND

PRACTICE, to be held in Burlington, Vermont on June 5-6, 2012. This symposium will provide intensive training and information on housing for an aging

population in rural America. Visit http://www.ruralhome.org or contact Janice

Clark, HAC, janice@ruralhome.org.

Published by the Housing Assistance Council

www.ruralhome.org

1025

hac@ruralhome.org

Vermont Ave., N.W., Suite 606

Washington, DC 20005

202-842-8600